In Mali, the culture of emigration has always been deeply rooted into society, particularly within Kayes's region from where thousands of migrants leave in order to attain the mythical Eldorados.

Djamba, a young man of Sarakolé origin, left for France in order to be able to support his family. Our meeting in Paris allowed us to create specific links. I have attempted to (re)create a form of visual communication between him and his family and to provide them with evidence of Djamba’s survival through this personal contact. The resultant communication can be found in in the role played by this act of movement, using photography as a guarantee of truth, of reality. The uprooting caused by the departure of the migrant obliges him to (re)construct an identity for himself that lies somewhere between his countries of origin and the new land he uncovers. He becomes the foreigner searching for “something” (“to earn money” in the Soninké language) and he must subsequently play his part.